Template:Nhsc-v1-127
We are l i v i n g in a time when d i v e r s i t y of i n t e r e s t s , backgrounds, and c u l t u r e s is far more t o l e r a t e d in the United S t a t e s and o t h e r p a r t s of the world than it was since the time of western c o n t a c t here throuqh the Second World War. There have been t e r r i b l e i n j u s t i c e s and i n e q u i t i es c a r r i e d out a g a i n s t minority p o p u l a t i o n s — e t h n i c , r e l i g i o u s, and socio-economic. Perhaps the Hawaiians were d e a l t a harsh hand in the past but the modern p u b l ic e d u c a t i o n a l system in Hawaii is now s t r i v i n g to promote not only Hawaiian c u l t u r e but e x c e l l e n c e in e d u c a t i o n for our Hawaiian and non-Hawaiian c h i l d r e n and for t h is we need the kokua and support of the leaders in a l l areas of the Hawaiian community. 24/ D. PROGRAMS FOR NATIVE HAWAIIANS Hawaiian Studies Program In the 1960's and 1970's, there was renewed i n t e r e s t in the Hawaiian c u l t u r e — m u s i c , r e l i g i o n , and language. Support for t h i s renewed i n t e r e s t grew and: As the elements of t h i s r e n a i s sance became more focused and as Americans in general became more i n t e r e s t e d in t h e i r c u l t u r al r o o t s , Hawaiians and others in the community began c a l l i n g for more H a w a i i - o r i e n t e d courses of study in schools and c o l l e g e s . The p r o j e c t i o n that the Hawaiian language w i l l be l o s t with the p a s s i n g of the e x i s t i n g n a t i ve speakers became of major concern in view of b e l i e f that unders t a n d i n g of the language is the key to understanding more f u l ly the whole c u l t u r e of the Hawaiian p e o p l e . 25/ A key aspect of t h i s b e l i e f in the importance of p r e s e r v i n g the Hawaiian c u l t u r e is that it will b e n e f i t not only the n a t i v e Hawaiians, but a l l the r e s i d e n t s of the S t a t e . According to t h e S t a t e Department of Education: We intend for a l l of our s t u d e n t s , Hawaiian and non- Hawaiian, in a l l grades from K i n d e r g a r t e n to Twelve to have the o p p o r t u n i t y to learn about the e a r l y Polynesian immigrants, the n a t i v e Hawaiians and a l l of the other immigrant groups, and t h e ir i n t e r r e l a t i o n s h i p s which have r e s u l t e d in the Hawaii which we know today. We a l s o b e l i e v e t h at i t is important for our s t u d e n ts to recognize that we l i v e in an i s l a n d environment with i ts p h y s i c a l and metaphysical a s p e c t s, l i m i t a t i o n s , and p o s s i b i l i t i e s . 26/ Responding to t h i s impetus, in 1978 a S t a t e C o n s t i t u t i o n a l Amendment was adopted to c r e a t e a Hawaiian S t u d i es Program 27/ that mandates the S t a t e to: . . . p r o m o t e the study of Hawaiian c u l t u r e , h i s t o r y and language. The S t a t e s h a l l provide for a Hawaiian e d u c a t i o n program c o n s i s t i n g of language, c u l t u r e and h i s t o r y in t h e p u b l i c s c h o o l s . 28/ To c a r r y out t h i s program, the S t a te i n s t i t u t e d the Hawaiian S t u d i e s Program t o "develop knowledge, understanding, a p p r e c i a t i o n and i n t e r n a l i z a t i o n of fundamental a s p e c t s of Hawaiian c u l t u r e , including v a l u e s , concepts, p r a c t i c e s , h i s t o r y , and language." 29/ Students are introduced to the various a s p e c t s of Hawaiian c u l t u r e through ten a r e a s of study (language, food, h e a l t h, music, games, numbers and mathematics, h i s t o r y , e t c . ).
|
